On the emerging role of neuroimaging in determining functional and structural brain integrity induced by physical exercise: impact for predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine

Physical exercise contributes to maintenance of physical health. There is growing evidence, both from animal work and from human epidemiological and longitudinal intervention studies, that physical exercise also impacts directly on the brain, mediating structural integrity and improving cognitive functioning. Modern neuroimaging approaches, in particular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based techniques provide a powerful means to non-invasively study the effects of physical exercise on human brain structure and function. Employing these techniques in exercise sciences will allow determining central mechanisms of body-brain interactions, both, in health and disease states. It is expected that this may propagate individualized exercise training regimens for disease prevention and, ultimately, adapted applications for prevention and slowing down disease progression in neurodegenerative conditions. At current, however, these imaging techniques are largely based on inter-subject averaging and their impact for personalized medicine with the goal of promoting preventive and personalized healthcare remains to be determined.